Florida sheriff warns of scam calls using a real captain’s cloned voice
Florida’s Osceola County sheriff is warning about scam calls that impersonate a real captain using his name, photograph and cloned voice. Callers allege missed jury duty or an arrest warrant and seek money. Sheriff Chris Blackmon says the office does not demand payment by phone to resolve those matters. Residents are advised to contact the agency through an independently verified number.
Artificial Intelligence··Midday
A real officer’s identity is used in fake calls
Florida’s Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is warning about scam calls using a real officer’s identity and an AI-cloned voice. News 6 and FOX 35 Orlando report that callers allege missed jury duty or an outstanding arrest warrant and demand money. Sheriff Chris Blackmon says the voice of his staff has been copied. In a voicemail described by News 6, the caller identifies himself as Captain Steve Moser, a real captain whose photograph is on the agency’s website.[1], [2]
The warning concerns impersonation cases
The sheriff’s office estimates about 40 law-enforcement impersonation cases this year, according to News 6. That count does not establish that every case used AI. Cybersecurity expert Perry Carpenter demonstrated to the station how a similar voice clone could be created from audio in online videos. His demonstration does not identify the specific tool used for the reported call. Blackmon says Moser’s photograph was used alongside his copied voice.[1]
The sheriff says it never demands such payments
Blackmon says the agency does not demand money by phone to resolve a warrant or missed jury duty. The advice is to end a suspicious call and contact the agency using a number verified independently, rather than one supplied by the caller. A familiar-sounding voice, official photograph or displayed telephone number can all be imitated. The warning asks residents to verify identity before sending money or sharing personal information.[1]
